Arjuna said: O Supreme Person, what is Brahman? What is the self? What is action? What is called the field of changing things, and what is called the divine principle? What is the sacred offering here in this body, and how are you known at the time of death by those with disciplined minds?
— Arjuna
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Bhagavad Gita · 8.1
Hindi · हिन्दी
अर्जुन बोले हे पुरुषोत्तम वह ब्रह्म क्या है अध्यात्म क्या है कर्म क्या है अधिभूत किसको कहा गया है और अधिदैव किसको कहा जाता है यहाँ अधियज्ञ कौन है और वह इस देहमें कैसे है हे मधूसूदन नियतात्मा वशीभूत अंतःकरण वाले मनुष्यके द्वारा अन्तकालमें आप कैसे जाननेमें आते हैं ॥
The verse in reading order — each Sanskrit word with its meaning beneath. Tap a word to focus on it.
अर्जुन उवाचArjuna saidकिम्whatतत्thatब्रह्मBrahmanकिम्whatकिम्whatकर्मactionपुरुषोत्तमO Supreme Personचandकिम्whatप्रोक्तम्is saidअधिदैवम्the divine principleकिम्whatउच्यतेis called
Read literallyArjuna said · what · that · Brahman · what · what · action · O Supreme Person · and · what · is said · the divine principle · what · is called
Understanding the verse
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Arjuna fires a string of questions: what are Brahman, the self, action, the perishable, and the divine principle?
Arjuna asks Krishna to explain the key terms of spiritual teaching: Brahman, the self, action, the changing world, and the divine principle.
02
On the battlefield
Context & commentary
Before the fighting begins, Arjuna asks Krishna to define the deepest terms behind life, death, action, and the imperishable reality he wants to know at the end.
03
In your life
What it looks like today
You are standing at a hospital door, a resignation letter in your hand, or a graveside with no easy answers. Before certainty comes, honest questions have to be named.
The takeaway
“Real understanding begins by asking clean, exact questions.”
Arjuna asks Krishna to explain the key terms of spiritual teaching: Brahman, the self, action, the changing world, and the divine principle.
Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 8.1?
Arjuna speaks this verse, on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, in the chapter titled "Akshara Brahma Yoga" (The Imperishable Absolute).
Which chapter of the Bhagavad Gita contains verse 8.1?
Verse 1 sits in Chapter 8 of the Bhagavad Gita — Akshara Brahma Yoga, "The Imperishable Absolute". The chapter has 28 verses in total.
Why does Bhagavad Gita 8.1 matter today?
You are standing at a hospital door, a resignation letter in your hand, or a graveside with no easy answers. Before certainty comes, honest questions have to be named.
Arjuna fires a string of questions: what are Brahman, the self, action, the perishable, and the divine principle?
What this verse means
Arjuna asks Krishna to explain the key terms of spiritual teaching: Brahman, the self, action, the changing world, and the divine principle.
Context & commentary
Before the fighting begins, Arjuna asks Krishna to define the deepest terms behind life, death, action, and the imperishable reality he wants to know at the end.
What it looks like today
You are standing at a hospital door, a resignation letter in your hand, or a graveside with no easy answers. Before certainty comes, honest questions have to be named.
“Real understanding begins by asking clean, exact questions.”
Explore related themes: akshara brahma (12 verses), brahman (10 verses)